While possession of marijuana for personal or medical use becomes legal in a growing number of states in the United States, and jurisdictions in Texas declineprosecution of these charges, one thing is clear: the sale and delivery of marijuana is not expected to become legal in Texas anytime soon.

If you are looking to understand the penalties for delivery of marijuana in Fort Worth, or if you have been charged with an offense, reach out to a skilled attorney for assistance.

Is it legal to grow marijuana in Texas?

No. Growing marijuana will subject you to charges for possession of marijuana. Selling marijuana will result in charges for delivery of marijuana.

Delivering Marijuana

Marijuana, under the Texas Health and Safety Code, is defined to include the “plant Cannabis sativa L., whether growing or not, the seeds of that plant, and every compound, manufacture, salt, derivative, mixture, or preparation of that plant or its seeds.” Tex. Health & Safety Code § 481.002 (26). The term “deliver” encompasses the sale of marijuana. Under the Texas Health and Safety Code, to “deliver” also includes the transfer of marijuana to another. The transfer can be an actual transfer or a constructive transfer. Tex. Health & Safety Code § 481.120. A constructive transfer involves an indirect transfer where the person delivering still allows for a change of possession, such as keys to a car or hotel room where the marijuana is located. Even taking all the steps to secure a transaction may be enough to satisfy this element. Torres v. State, 667 S.W.2d 190, 194 (Tex. App.—Corpus Christi 1983)

Under Texas Health & Safety Code § 481.120, a person commits the offense of Delivery of Marijuana if they knowingly or intentionally deliver marijuana. The punishment becomes more severe depending on the amount of marijuana involved. Punishment can also vary depending on whether a payment took place. These charges impose stricter sentences for a smaller amount of marijuana than a similar possession charge.

Delivery of Marijuana in a Drug-Free Zone

If the delivery of marijuana takes place within a drug-free zone, such as within 1,000 feet of a school, playground, or public or private youth center, the punishment for the crime will increase by one level. For instance, under Texas Health & Safety Code § 481.134, a state jail felony delivery taking place in a drug-free zone will become a third-degree felony with corresponding punishments and sentences. Additionally, under Texas Health & Safety Code § 481.122, delivering marijuana to a person under 18 years of age or who is enrolled in a primary or secondary school has committed a second-degree felony.